Legal Term: DEAD MANS PART

Definition: English law. By the custom of London, when a deceased freeman of the city left a widow and children, after deducting what was calledthe widows chamber, (q.v.) his personal property was divided into three parts, one of which belonged to the widow, another tot he children, and the third to the administrator. When there was only a widow, or only children, in either case they respectively took one moiety, and the administrator the other, when there was neither widow nor child, the administrator took the whole for his own use and this portion was called the "dead mans part." By statute of 1 Jac. 2, c. 17, this was changed, and the dead mans part is declared to be subject to the statute of distribution. 2 Bl. Com. 518. See Bac. Ab. Customs of London, D 4.

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